What do a car blasting out of nowhere and a man who can’t work out which washroom is which have in common?

Both are spots from director John Adams, and both are up for Bessies.

Dallas-based Adams – who is unique among nominees in having two unconnected spots up for an award – is a relative newcomer to the wonderful world of spots, having sat in the director’s chair for only about 18 months. A longtime agency man with stints in production, writing and art direction, Adams’ chance for a crack at directing came when clients came in to the agency with no director and no funds to hire one. ‘It was kind of a fluke. Some jobs came in without large budgets and my creative director allowed me to direct them. It worked out well and another client saw [the spots] and it went from there. And I realized it’s absolutely the most wonderful, perfect job in the world.’

He must be doing something right – Adams shot 60 days last year, 25 of them in Canada, where he is repped by Toronto shop Industry Films.

‘It has been an absolutely amazing year.’

In ‘Men’s Room,’ Adams’ Bessie-nominated spot for Clarica, a middle-aged man in search of the washroom in a crowded nightspot finds himself facing two pieces of ambiguous art designating the men’s and women’s washrooms – leaving him baffled. ‘Then the door opens and he thinks he’s going to find out which is the right washroom and a rather androgynous looking person comes out.’

In ‘Versatility’ for Lexus, a man trying to hitch a lift can hear the sound of an engine, although the highway stretching beyond him is puzzlingly empty. Suddenly the source of the noise appears – a four-by-four that clambers up a rise to reach the road and proceeds across it and back into the surrounding brush.

‘The Lexus spot is a glorious product demo. We wanted to show how the product worked in the real world and put a humorous twist on that. Most of what’s on my reel is humor,’ says Adams.

Versatility is part of a three-spot Lexus campaign directed by Adams that’s also up for a Bessie.

Although he modestly professes to have no explanation for his speedy success, Adams does say his agency background has helped. ‘Part of it is having been a creative and having been on the agency side. I have great respect for their work and I think that comes across. I got to observe first-hand and learn from some of the best in the business.’

Although he hopes eventually to direct a feature, Adams says he’ll stay in commercials ‘as long as they’ll have me.’

And being nominated for a Bessie?

‘It’s a tremendous honor. Just to be nominated for one was great, and to hear we’re up for three… It really is a pleasure. There are few awards that really matter and the Bessies is one of them.’